1. Influence of age of mice on the susceptibility to murine schistosomiasis infection.
- Author
-
Yole DS, Gikuru SK, Wango EO, Kithome K, Kiarie S, and Limo M
- Subjects
- Age Factors, Animals, Cell Proliferation, Luteinizing Hormone blood, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Parasite Egg Count, Schistosomiasis mansoni blood, Schistosomiasis mansoni physiopathology, Testosterone blood, Schistosomiasis mansoni epidemiology
- Abstract
Intensity of human schistosomiasis infection increases with age, a peak being attained at early puberty. Hormones could be involved in the age-related changes in susceptibility to schistosomiasis. Male BALB / c mice were infected with Schistosoma mansoni either before or after puberty and worm numbers, cellular immune responses, hormonal levels and pathology analysed. Pre-puberty infected mice had a significantly higher number of adult worms (p < 0.05), more severe granulomas, higher mortality rate and higher proliferative responses as compared to post-puberty infected mice. Levels of the hormones were lower in the pre-puberty infected mice as compared to the post-puberty group early in the infection. Plasma levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormones decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in infected mice when compared to controls. Susceptibility to S. mansoni in male BALB / c mice seems to be influenced by levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone at infection. Albeit, an infection with S. mansoni seems to lower the hormonal levels.
- Published
- 2006